Rand Paul jabs D.C. 'machine' in campaign launch

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and his wife, Kelley, wave to supporters during an event announcing his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination at the Galt House Hotel on April 7, 2015 in Louisville, Ky.(Photo: Luke Sharrett, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul kicked off his presidential campaign today, vowing to buck the "Washington machine" and expand the Republican Party to include young people and minorities.

Paul put both the GOP and the Democratic Party on notice that he'll stick to his conservative principles with a message rooted in liberty, the Constitution and limited government.

"Too often when Republicans have won, we have squandered our victory by becoming part of the Washington machine. That's not who I am," Paul said. "If we nominate a candidate who is simply Democrat Light, what's the point? Why bother? We need to boldly proclaim our vision for America."

The first-term senator officially declared his candidacy hours before a rally in Louisville, Ky., with a brief message on his new campaign website.

"I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government," he said.

A diverse group of people — including black pastors, a college student and Hispanic legislator — took part in Paul's rally and testified to his outreach and approach as a senator. The speakers helped highlight Paul's vow to be a "different kind of Republican."

Afterward, the candidate who mixes with Silicon Valley titans and recently opened a tech office in Texas planned to take questions via Facebook.

CLOSE

Sen. Rand Paul officially launched his 2016 White House bid with a call to defeat the "Washington machine that gobbles up our freedoms."
VPC

Paul, 52, joined Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in a race that has attracted the interest of more than a dozen potential GOP candidates. He is also simultaneously running for re-election in Kentucky to his Senate seat.

"His entry into the race will no doubt raise the bar of competition, help make us all stronger, and ultimately ensure that the GOP nominee is equipped to beat Hillary Clinton and to take back the White House for Republicans in 2016," Cruz said in a statement welcoming Paul into the race.

Still to come in the presidential sweepstakes are former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who are leading early public opinion polls. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is expected to announce his bid on April 13.

The GOP primary could pit Paul, Cruz and Rubio against each other as they vie for the votes of Tea Party supporters who backed them for the Senate. But the competition is viewed as healthy for Republicans eager to take back the White House.

"It's a positive thing that so many potential candidates do support our values," said Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots. "It shows our values are once again front and center in the political discussion in America."

Since his Senate election in 2010, Paul has positioned himself to be a more relatable — and electable — politician than his father, Ron. The elder Paul, a former Texas congressman, had legions of mostly young followers in the 2008 and 2012 elections but he was unable to translate their passion into enough presidential votes.

Ron and Carol Paul attended their son's kickoff, but the father is not expected to take a large role in the campaign.

Like his father, Rand Paul is an iconoclast in a Republican Party. He hews the conservative line with attacks on excessive spending and big government while crusading against government spying. Paul often says the GOP brand "sucks" and has spoken at historically black colleges to broaden the GOP's base.

"I'm a big believer that you should stand on principle and be true to your principles, but I also think we should take those principles and try to bring in new people with them," Paul said recently on Fox News.

That kind of message, however, may work better in a general election than in the Iowa caucuses or early primary states. Religious conservatives play an outsize role in Iowa, more so than establishment Republicans and fiscal conservatives.

Paul holds a press conference with Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to announce a new medical marijuana bill at the U.S. Capitol on March 10, 2015. Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images

Students Dragana Bozic, left, and Pi Praveen pose for a photograph with a life-size cardboard cutout of Paul at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord International Hotel and Conference Center on March 7, 2014, at National Harbor, Md. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Steve Deace, a syndicated radio host in Iowa who is influential with conservatives, said Paul needs to demonstrate appeal with evangelicals and gain ground on Walker, who is leading early Iowa polls.

"It's not just about who says Jesus the most and it's not about a cult of personality," Deace said about winning the Iowa caucuses. "We need people who are willing to fight. I don't think that environment is going to change. Candidates will have to change to that environment."

While Paul is seeking the GOP presidential nomination, he is also keeping his options open at home in Kentucky. He announced in December that he'll run for a second Senate term.

To get past a state law that forbids candidates from running for two offices at the same time, Paul has proposed a presidential caucus in 2016 that he would help fund instead of a primary. That would allow the state to record its presidential preference, without Paul appearing on the same ballot twice.

A Kentucky GOP task force is studying the idea and a final decision could come in August.